Automobile cabinet



Nov. 20, 1923 c. A. BEACH AUTOMOBILE CABINET 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.5, 1922 44 M l i Swwwtoz QWZA MA witness Nov. 20, 1923 c. A. BEACHAUTOMOBILE CABINET Filed Oct. 5 1922 4Sheets-Sheeo 5 Witmaoo Nov. 20,1923 v C. A. BEACH AUTOMOBILE CABINET 4 shees-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 5,192,2

Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

CARL A. BEACH, or nnnvnnf'cononnno. 3

AUTOMOBILE CABIN T;

' Application filedOctober 5, 1922. Serial 'No. 592,498.

To all whom it ma concern: v c.

Be it known th ELtI 'CARL A. BEACH, a citizen of. the United States,residin at Denver, in the county of Denver-and tate of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Cabi nets;and I do declare the following-to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the inyentiomsuch as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertainsto make and use the same. V I Y a Thisinvention relates to an, improved cabinet for use in connection with anautomobile and one object ofthe invention is to provide a cabinet whichcan'be conveniently carried upon the running board or at the back of thebody portion of the automobile and may contain cooking utensils, food,and

tableware, the cabinet being further so constructed that it .may be setup upon the ground and the closure door for the cabinet swung downwardlyto" provide a table.

.Another object of the invention is to provide the cabinet with improvedsupporting legs for the body portion thereof, these legs being hingedlymounted beneath the cabinet and provided with improved means for re-'taining them' in an extended or operative position; 7

Another object of the invention is to provide the door with improvedsupporting legs hingedly mounted to'permit of them being swungdownwardly to an operative position when the door is lowered to form thetable, improved means being provided to retain the supporting legs inthe operative position. v e I Another object of the invention is toso iconstruct this door that it may beextended similar to the top of anextension table and extra leavesput in to provide along table whendesired. 1 1 1 Another object ofthe invention is to pro-- vide thecabinet with a'top which may be swung upwardly to permit access to achamher in the top portion of the cabinet and to have the top and tableforming door so mounted that when swung toa closed position, their freeend portions will be near each other thus permitting a' common fastenerto be made use of to secure both the.

top and the swinging door. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinetwhich when not'inuse will the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.' I F gure Sisaverticalsectiona1viewtaken be compact and'take-up a smallflamount'ofroom, the folding legs being'so mounted" that they maybe swung closeagainst the swinging door and bottom of the cabinet where theywill beout of the Way.

This invention is illustrated in athe accompanyingdrawingsywhereinFigure 11s a iew showing the cablnet i front elevation with the swinging"door operative position. I r q Figure 2 is a vertical sectional Viewtakenalong the line 22 of Fig. 1. 1 Figure- 3. 'S

closed and the foldinglegs swungto the invertical" sectional viewthrough the cabinet when in position for use. p

F1gure 4 is a along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and looking towardsthe bodyofthe cabinet. I I

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of;Fig. 3, to show the manner of hingedly mounting the legs beneath thecabinet and the means for releasably, retaining them in anoperative-position. a

Figure 7 isa view similar to Fig. 3. with l the swinging door in closedposition.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view ofthe I cabinet taken"along'theline '88of Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan View of the ward'ly to-Qthc inoperativeswinging door closed. I 1 p v F1gure -10 1s a longitudinal sectionalview cabinet with the supporting legssWungup position and the throughthe sw'inging'doorwhen in' position a Y for use as a table;: v o 1 gThis improved cabinetfis provided with 'a body lhaving partitions 2' andshelves mounted therein so that: cooking utensilsp;

containers for food, and other articles may be placed in the cabinetqltwill of course b ejunderstoo'd that the'interior of the cabl net canbe divided into as many 'compart ments as desired according to the "sizeof cabinetbuilt. A partition 4; is provided in the upper portionof thiscabinet thus providing an iipper' compartment 5 in which extraleaves6may be placed when not in use in connection with the'table. A topor cover 7 is hingedly mounted atthe'back of thecabinet as shown at 8.andwhen swung downwardly-will close the compartmen-t'fiz- This cover 7is )rovided with a has) 9 hav- 7 ing an opening to receive the eye 10through hinges 12. This door which is normally of a proper size to fitinto the open front of the cabinet is provlded with an inner or lower 7section 13 and an upper or outer section let,

each of which is preferably, formed of a single boardbut may of coursebe formed of a plurality of boards suitably connected. Strips 15 and 16are secured respectively to the sections Band 14 of the door and one setof strips will be provided with tongues 17 for fitting into groovesformed in the second set as shown in Fig. 4 to permit'the strips 15 and16to slide longitudinally of each other and .at the same time beprevented from moving out of engagement with each other until entirelydrawn apart. Therefore, the section 1 1 may be drawn away from thesection 13 and one or more of the leaves 6 put in place in the samemanner that leaves are placed in an extension table. Atits free end, thesection 141 is provided with a hasp 18 which is similar to the hasp 9and will be swung into engagement with the eye 10 when the door is inthe raised position so that the eye 10 and lock 11 through engagementwith the two hasps 9 and 18 may serve to secure both the top 7 and thefront door in a closed position.

In order to support the free end portion of the front door, there hasbeen provided supporting legs 19 which are connected by a cross bar 20and extend beyond this cross bar so that they may be pivotally connectedwith the ends of the extended portion 21 of the cross bar 22 secured tothe free end portion of the door section 1 1. It should be noted thatthe shoulder portion 21 has its ends terminating short of the ends ofthe cross bar so that the supporting legs 19 may be swung to theposition shown in Fig. 3 and be braced against further outward movementwhen in this position. In order to provide means for yieldably retainingthe supporting legs in an adjusted position, there has been providedspring strips 28 which may be formed of any suitable material and willbe secured upon the block 24 carried bythe door section 14. The free endof the strip 23 extends across the cross strip 20 onto the shoulder 21and will therefore serve to re tain the supporting legs in the foldedposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the supporting legs are swung tothe operative position, the free end portions of the securing stripswill move into the pockets 25 and will securely hold the legs in theoperative position, until the strips are swung out of the pockets.Therefore, the supporting legs in Fig. 5.

1 mar/o4 cannot accidentally move towards a folded position and leavethe freeend portion of' ends of the supporting legs so that the ends ofthe legs 26 can extend upon opposite sides of a block 28 which issecured to the bottom of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 6. A spring strip29 extends longitudinally of the bottom of this cabinet and is'securedintermediate its length to a block 30 and has its end portions extendingas shown in'Fig. 6 and alsoshown in Figs. 8 and 9. From an inspection ofFig. 9, it will be seen that when the supporting legs are folded againstthe bottom, the end portions of the strip'29 will extend across thestrips 27 and rest against the block 28., hen, however, the supportinglegs are swung downwardly to the operative position, the end portions ofthe strip 29 will rest in the pockets 31 of the strips 27 and thesupporting legs will be held against swinging upwardly to theinoperative position. In order to firmly brace the supporting legs 26against tendency to move towards the folded position, there has beenprovided bracing yokes 32 which are pivotally mounted as shown at 33 andhave their arms terminating in hooked end portions 84 for fitting intosockets formed in the legs 26. Since the yokes are formed of resilientmaterial, it will be readily seen that the arms thereof can be readilymoved into and out of bracing engagement with the supporting legs. \Vhenthis cabinet is set up for use as a table as shown in Figs. 3 and 10,the supporting legs 19 and 26 are to rest upon the ground. The' groundmay be uneven and therefore each of the legs 19 and 26 has been providedwith a ground-engaging foot '35 provided with a threaded shank whichextends into a threaded socket 36 formed in the leg. By properadjustment, the feet 'may be allowed to rest upon. the ground andcontainers and cooking and table articles will be placed in thecompartments shown The door for the; open front of the cabinet can then.be swung closed and secured against dropping by the clips 87. Aftereverything has been put in. place, the hasp 18 can be swung onto the eye10 over the hasp 9 and the padlock 11 then put in place. The cabinet canthen be put in place upon the running board or upon the rear portion ofthe automobile body and suitably secured. When the cabinet is to beused, it will be removed from the automobile and the supporting legs 26swung downwardly to the operative position shown and the braces 32Agnew.

. .m v-s nt ,.qnsa esntwiththe upportin l is -I sh mans a b i t i p 1 1the" ground withfthe's .;-upen..t .g c n .-and pueitmai inet'in anelevated posit-ionl padlock 11 will then be removed and the clips 37swungout of the way so that the door can beswuag downwardly. Thesupporting legs 19 can be swung to the operative position shown in Fig.3-either before the door is swung downwardly or afterwards. When thedoor is swung downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8 with thesupporting legs resting upon the ground, the brace rod 38 which ispivo-tally connected with one of the partitions 2 will be swung out'andits hooked free end portion moved into engage ment with the eye 39carried by the section 13 of the door. The door'whenin this positionforms a table-upon which the plates and other articles will be placed.If it is found; that the table is too small, the section 14 can be drawnaway from the section 13 and oneor more of the leaves 6 put in place asshown in Fig. 10 thus lengthening the table. When use of the cabinet isno longer desired, the leaves 6 can be removed and replaced in' thecompartment 5 and after the food containers and cooking and tablearticles have been rep-laced, the door can be swung upwardly to theclosed position and first secured by the clips 37. The supporting legs19 can then. be released and swung downwardly to the closed position andthe hasp 18 then swung upwardly to engage the eye 10. The padlock wouldthen be replaced. After thepadlock has been secured, the cabinet can beturned rearwardly onto the ground and the braces 32 moved to re-,

lease the supporting legs 26. The braces will then be swung to thefolded position shown in Fig. 9 and after the end portions of the strip29 havebeen swung to an inoperative position, the supporting legs willbe swung to the folded position where they will be positioned fiatagainst the bottom of r the cabinet and out of the way as shown in Fig.2; The cabinet can then be picked up by means of the handles40 and putback upon the. automobile. It will thus be seen that this cabinet willbe very convenient to use and further will be so constructed that itwill be compact and there will be'no parts extending to get in the way.It will be further noted that the same lockingmeans may be providedforsecuring the top 7 and front door. The top may have itsinner faceprovided with straps so that mirrors, brushes, razors and other toiletarticles may he held in engagement with the top. The straps willpreferably be formed of rubber but of course maybe formed of anysuitable material desired. It will be obvious that if desired, the backof the cabinet may be provided with a swinging door similarto that pnina1eg nestin ....u; for. cl s ng th pe front; hu j pe m ittingiaits-5'19 to be provided at each f si de of the character de-. scribed,acabinet open at its front and top,-

th'ejcabineti "As illustrated,,.the cabinet yhas jbeen shown for-med.ofj.wood,but it a cover for the open top hingedly mounted at one edge,a closure door for the open front of said cabinet hingedly mounted atits 'lower edge, a fastener ,carriercar'riedby said cabinet, and meanscarried by the free edge portionsof said door and cover for engagingsaid fastener carrier door and cover closed. i g 2; In. a structure ofthe 'character'de scribed, a cabinet open at its frontand top, a coverfor the open top hingedly mounted to'hold the at one edge, a closuredoor forthe open front of said cabinet hingedly mounted at its loweredge, an eye carried by said cabiclosure door for engaging said eye andholding the cover and door closed when a fasteneris placed in engagementwithsaid eye.

35A cabinet open at'its' front, a closure door for the open fronthingedly mounted at into and out of an operative position, a cross barconnecting and bracing said legs, and a spring s-trip secured to saiddoor and extending longitudinally thereof and having its free endextending in overlapping relation to the last mentioned cross bar toengage v the same and releasably hold the legs in an operative orinoperative position.

.4. The StIllCtllIG'Of claim 3 having the. cross bar of the doorprovided with a side extension terminating short ofthe ends of the crossbar and having thelegs pivotally connected with its ends and limited intheir swinging towards an 1 operative position through engagement withthe extended "end portions of said cross bar. 7 I

5. The structure of claim 3 and an eyese cured upon said door adjacentthe hinged end thereof, and'a supportingrod pivotally connectedwith saidcabinet and having a hooked free end for engaging said eye and bracingthe door when in'a lowered tableforming position.

6. A cabinet open at its front, a closure I for the open front movableto an open position, supporting legs pivotally mounted in sets beneathopposite ends of said cabinet, .a

cross barconnecting the legs of each set to brace the legs, a springstrip secured intermediate its length beneath said cabinet and lie net,and ha'sps carried by said cover and 9 having its free endportions'engaging the bracing bars for releasablyseeuring the legs inadjusted positions, and U-shaped yokes positioned beneath the cabinetand strad- 5 dling said spring strips and pivotallyi mounted forswinging movement longitudinally of the spring strip, said yokes' havingtheir armsterminating in hookedends for engaging the legs and bracingthe legs in an operative position. 7 t I 10 In testimony whereof I lhave hereunto affixed my signature.

' CARL A. BEACH

